Rope or wire clamp.



UTED STATES ATN FBTO..

ROBERT D. MCINTYRE, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 EDWARD A. BAKER, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO.

ROPE OR WIRE CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28,1917.

Application filed .Tune 1, 1916. Serial No. 101,077.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT D. MGINTYRE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Richland, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rope or Vire Clamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to rope, cable or wire clamps, and has for its primary object to lprovide a simple and efiicient means for lirmly and securely gripping the cable, rope or wire so that the latter may be dragged, stretched or tightened.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein the clamp more firmly binds upon the strand as the pull thereon is increased.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this type further characterized by means for automatically maintaining clamping surface or jaws yieldably in clamping engagement.

A still further and particular obj ect of the invention is to provide a device of the character set forth which is of simple and inexpensive construction, which is composed of but few readily assembled parts, all so arranged as to preclude breakage or derangement of the same, which is capable of application to Cable, rope or wire of varied diameters or thickneses, which is readily applied to or detched from the strand, and which will proove thoroughly eliicient in the attainment of the ends for which it is designed.

lVith these objects in view, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawing, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a detail perspective view of the clamp member forming a part of the invention, the same being shown removed from the base,

2 is a similar view of the base,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section view taken through the assembled device and showing the clamp member partially extended, and

Fig. 4L is a transverse sectional view taken l on line 4.-4 of Fig. 3.

In. the preferred embodiment of the invention, a base and slidable clamp member 6 are provider. The base is constructed of an elongated metallic bar, having dependlng from one end thereof a loop member 7 whereby the same may be readily gripped with the fingers. The upper longitudinal edge of the base may be grooved and rough ened as shown, the said portion being adapted for the reception of wire, rope or cable to be stretched. This base portion is cut away upon one side to provide a right angular shoulder S, the said shoulder being inclined from one end of the base downwardly toward the opposite end. A channel or groove 9 is bored in the base member throughout t-he length of the latter beneath and in parallel relation to the shoulder 8. This bore or channel is preferably circular in cross-section, and communicates with the shoulder 8 at the juncture of the latter with the upstanding portion of the base by the restrict-ed slot 10.

The clamp or sliding member 6 is formed of an elongated metallic member equal in length and width to that of the base mem ber 5. This clamping member is cut away for a portion of its thickness to provide a laterally projecting longitudinally disposed shoulder l1, the same being grooved longi-f tudinally and roughened as shown, and is adapted in operation to coperate with the grooved upper edge of the base member in firmly binding the rope or wire to the device. The clamping member provides a central longitudinally disposed web l2, the latter being of a thickness equal to the width of the restricted slot l() of the base, and a rib 13 projects from thelowermost extremity of the web l2. This ribis circular in cross-section, being of a diameter substantially equal to or a triiic less than that of the annular channel or groove 9 in the base portion. It will be observed that the rib 13 is disposed angularly throughout the length of the clamping member with relation to the shoulder 11. thereof, the angularity of the les said rib being the same as that of the channel groove E) of. the base. The shoulder 1l projects laterally from the sliding member upon the side of the latter opposite to that from which the shoulder 11 projects. The shoulder 14 extending throughout the length of the slidable member and is parallel with the web 12. The central portion ofthe rib 13 is cut away as shown, and an expansion spring 15 is seated on-one end against one of the end portions of the cut away rib, while the opposite end of the spring is looped as shown to engage around a pin or screw 16 extending laterally through the base member 5 and the channel thereof. Knob portions 17- may be providedat the ends of the .slidable member 6 to facilitate sliding of the latter with the fingers.

The clamping member 6 is assembled upon the base by inserting the-rib 13 at the thickest end thereof into the channel 9 at the narrowest extremity ofthe base portion 5. 1nwardl sliding lmovement of3the `clamping' member will cause the rib to ride within the groove 9 until limited in such inward movement by engagement of the clamping shoulders of the base and slidable members. Vhen in this position, the ends of :the `base and clamping member-will be even'.Y The pin or screw 16 is then'projected laterally through the base portion to engage the loop in the end of the expansionl spring 15. Then thus assembled, movement of the slidable member rearwardly of the base or against the tension of the spring 15, will cause the shoulder 11 carried bythe clamping member to move outwardly away from the wire receiving shoulder ofl the base. After the strand has been inserted within the latter mentioned groove the slidablemember may be released, whereupon the spring 15 will force the clamping member 6 inwardly of the base and the shoulder 11 thereof will engage and iirmly bind the strand within the groove at the upper edge of the base portion. Then pull is delivered to the base member through the loop 7, the pressure will cause the slidable member 6 to move inwardly of the base, whereupon a iirm grip or clamping action upon the strand throughout the -length of the clamping shoulders will be created. It is thus seen that the greater pulling power delivered to the base will createal greater binding action upon the strand and yet this action is attained without kinking or bending the strand within the grip member. It is also apparent that the pin or screw 16 performs the two-fold function of support'- ing the spring end, andlimiting the inward movement of the slidable member upon the base. l l

While the above is a disclosure of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is apparent that the same is `susceptible of various changes in the minor detailsof construction and arrangement of parts, and 1 reserve to myself the right to resort to such changes as I see lit without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

llVhat is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a base member provided with a longitudinal channel, a clamping face angularly arranged with respect to said channel, a clamping member slidably mounted on said base, means carried by said clamping member for inter-engagement with the channel of said base for guiding the clamping member in its sliding movement, clamping face on the clamping member and arranged at an angle to the said guiding means, and means for retaining the clamping member and the base in interengagement.

A device of the character described comprising a base provided with a longitudinal channel, a clamping face angularly arranged with respect to said longitudinal channel, a clamping member, guiding means carried by the clamping member and adapted for interengagement with the channel in said base', a clamping face carried by the clamping member and arranged angularly with respect to said guiding means, and means for moving the clamping member with respect to the base to maintain the clamping faces of each in juxtaposition.

3. A device of the character described comprising in combination, a base 'provided with a longitudinal channel, a clamping face integral with` the base and extending angularly with respect to said channel, a clamping member, a 4guide integral with the clamping` member and adapted to be received within the channel of the base, a clamping face carried by the clamping member, and resilient means for moving the clamping member longitudinally of the base to maintain the clamping face of the base and the clamping face of the clamping member in juxtaposition.

4. A device of the character described comprising a lbase member provided with a longitudinal channel, a. clamping face angularly arranged with respect to said channel, a clamping member, a guide depending from the-under face of the clamping member and `adapted to be received within said channel, a clamping face integral with the clamping member vand arranged angularly with respect to said guide member, a coil spring carried by the clamping member, and mea-ns passing through the base and engaging the coil spring to retain the clamping member and the base in interengaged relation.

5. A device of the character described comprising a base member provided with al longitudinal channel, a clamping face integral with the base and angularly arranged with respect to said channel, a clamping element, a guide carried by the clamping element and adapted to be received Within the channel of the base member, a Clamping -face carried by the clamping element and angularly arranged with respect to the guide thereof, and means for retaining the clamping element and base member in interengaged relati-on.

6. A device of the character described comprising al base member provided With a longitudinal channel, a clamping face integral with the base member and angularly arranged with respect to said channel, a clamping element, a guide member integral with the clamping element and adapted to be received Within the channel of the base member to retain the clamping member and the base member in interengaged relation, a

Clamping face integral with the clamping element and angularly arranged with respect to the guide member, resilient means Carried by the Clamping element and lying within the Channel of the base member to retain the clamping jaw of the clamping element and the clamping jaw of the base member in juxtaposition, and means carried by the base member and engaging the resilient means carried by the clamping element to retain the base member and clamping element in interengaged relation.

In testimony whereof, I aliX my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses.

R. D. MoINTYR-E. Witnesses:

C. E. SHILL, MARGARET HARDMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent Washington, D. C. 

